If you are a Christian, it is painfully obvious that your relationship with God should be a top priority. But let's be real, this sounds good in theory and is often easier said than done. Nonetheless, it is imperative that we figure out how to practically achieve prioritizing our relationship with God for the sake of, well - literally everything else that's happening in our lives. Perhaps life would make more sense if we got to know the one who created us and designed our life story. I am still a work in progress myself, but that won’t stop me from sharing with you FOUR practical ways that I have learned to prioritize my relationship with God.

1. Talk to God in the morning.

• This one is a little cliché - I know. But what better way to prioritize God than to start your day with Him? This doesn't have to be some elaborate 2-hour morning quiet time routine. (Although, it certainly can be if that is your style!) Believe it or not, talking to God in the morning can be as simple as dedicating your first conscious thoughts in the morning to thanking God for waking you up. The conversation can continue as you brush your teeth. And I promise, it gets much easier to open your mouth and talk to God once your breath doesn't stink. You may wake up and journal, or like my husband go for a run and worship him with every step. Whatever you do, commit to something that invites God into the rest of your day.

2. Read your Bible. Every. Day.

• Another obvious no-brainer. But for some reason reading the Bible every day is a goal that many have but never achieve! The inconsistency may have several sources. Perhaps the Bible just seems way too long, or some parts may seem absolutely boring, or maybe it is because you find the story of the Bible to be far too confusing to follow along. I can admit I have felt all of these ways before. The good news is, I eventually overcame these objections to daily Bible reading - here is my advice.

  • When you talk with God in the morning, literally ask him for the DESIRE to read His word.

  • Read small portions at a time, but enough to keep you engaged with the overall story of the Bible. Typically, one chapter a day will get the job done.

  • Use The Bible App (or any Bible reading source) to find a reading plan that keeps you engaged. There are thousands of plans to choose from that you can tailor to whatever piques your interest!

  • And lastly…read number 3

    
    

3. Seek accountability in community!

• It is clear that we have established daily conversations with God and reading the Bible daily are essential.  But what do you do when you know exactly what to do and you just don't do it?! That is a sign you need some accountability. Get together with family, friends, co-workers, or a small group at your church and commit to praying and reading the Bible together!

• Don't have any family, friends, co-workers, or local church small group? Then you can join me and my girls in The Transparent Tribe (it is ladies only though; I will try to convince my husband to start one for the guys lol). We are reading a few chapters of the Bible each day on the Bible App and loving it. Our community is a safe space where we can make observations, ask genuine questions, and simply enjoy exploring the Word of God! Plus, knowing that your girls are gonna check and see if you did your reading for the day put's a nice little fire under your butt to actually get it done! Don't worry about being late to the party, join by clicking here, get caught up at your own pace, and enjoy our hilarious commentary on the interesting stories found in Genesis through Numbers.

4. Consume Social Media Responsibly

• Now you may ask, "what does my social media consumption have to do with prioritizing God in my life?" And I would say it has a lot to do with it if you spend a lot of time on social media! The Bible says that we should keep our minds on spiritual things.

• So when we are not at work, at school, or otherwise engaged in some meaningful activity - we should try to keep our mind on things in that list. Since many of us spend a lot of our time on varying types of social media, then practically we can choose to consume content that keeps our minds where God wants them to be. Here are some helpful accounts to follow to give your social media platforms a spiritual makeover.

• I intentionally follow pages on Instagram with beautiful illustrations of Bible scriptures or uplifting messages so that when I am on the discovery tab my screen is filled with beautiful, pink, Biblical encouragement. A few of my favorites are:

  • @ashley.morgan.jackson

  • @misstarasun

  • @mercyremains

  • @drbrianasade (That’s me lol) Of course, yours truly strives to create inspiring Biblically based content drenched in The Transparent Truth to add to your social media content palette.

• Additionally, I have turned down my Apple Music radio and turned up the dial on podcasts and Christian YouTube channels to feed my spiritual curiosity. A couple of my current favorites are The Bible Project Podcast and The Beat YouTube channel by Allen Parr.

• Lastly, are you on Club House yet?! It’s okay if you aren't; I am fairly new to it myself. I may not know all the ins and outs about this new and exciting platform just yet - but what I do know is that I'll be starting a Clubhouse room called "Does The Bible Really Say That?!" where I and a few ladies from The Transparent Tribe will recap all of the bizarre observations that we have been making as we trek through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The first one will be THIS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM EST! Follow me @drbrianasade on Clubhouse!

Hopefully, after reading this you will be able to do more than just conceptualize prioritizing God in theory. My prayer is that you can use these tips to take practical steps to grow closer to God each and every day. What are some other ways that you prioritize your relationship with God? If you have your own mind, leave a piece of it in the comments!